Dr. John Alfred Teske, 70, died on June 21, 2024, at his home in Mount Joy, PA. He was born on October 20, 1953, in Minneapolis, MN, the son of Myron and Gloria Teske. John's father, a Lutheran campus minister who marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. at Selma, was his lifelong role model. John received his B.A. from Indiana University in 1974, where he was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa and graduated magna cum laude. He earned his M.A. at Clark University in 1978, and his Ph.D. in 1981. John went on to teach at Clark University, as well as Dickinson College and Penn State University – Harrisburg. He taught at Elizabethtown College as a tenured full professor of psychology from 1998, until his retirement in 2017. He also served as psychology department chair at Elizabethtown College, received multiple senior merit awards there, and chaired and served on various committees.

A passionate and provocative teacher, Professor Teske's lectures challenged the status quo and encouraged innovation. He was awarded many accolades and awards throughout his teaching career. His courses pushed students to consider important alternatives in their own psychological development, and many of his mentees went on to become leaders in their own fields.

In addition to teaching, John contributed to forty peer-reviewed articles, scholarly journals, and almost 100 presentations and panel appearances. Much of his work was focused on the relationship between religion and science. Articles were published in Zygon: The Journal of Religion and Science, and later on his blog, Neuromyth.com. John was especially involved in the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS), where he was elected and served as president and conference organizer.

Professional and personal travel took John across the Americas, portions of Western, Southern, and Eastern Europe, and as far afield as Cyprus, Turkey, India, and South Africa. He had a fondness for Spain and Costa Rica, and enjoyed visiting dear friends in both regions. Prior to his death, he was in the midst of planning an August 2024 trip, to give a presentation at a conference in Croatia. In recent years, he participated in many "Story Slams" in Lancaster and York counties, further exploring how our narratives help shape our lives.

John is survived by his brother Jim, his daughter Johanna (38) and sons Jacob (34) and Byron (8), numerous nieces and nephews, and many longtime friends, nationally and internationally. His brother Jeff passed away in 2022. Being an outstanding and devoted father to his son Byron was the major focus of his life during his last years.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to www.iras.org , or Doctors Without Borders ( www.doctorswithoutborders.com ). A private memorial for family and close friends will occur, and a larger celebration of life will be held in October.